The Registrar General of India recently disclosed data about the birth rate, death rate, and infant mortality rate in India through its Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin for 2018. The figures, calculated per one thousand of the population, have showcased significant shifts over the years.
A Look at India’s Birth Rate
In the last four decades, India’s birth rate has seen a considerable decrease. In specifics, it dropped from 36.9 in 1971 to a significant 20.0 in 2018. This dip is not limited to urban or rural areas alone but spans across both, with the divide between rural and urban rates also narrowing down.
Regardless, evidence suggests that rural areas still feature a higher birth rate compared to their urban counterparts. Notably, Bihar sets a national record with the highest birth rate of 26.2 whereas Andaman and Nicobar have the lowest birth rate, standing at 11.2.
A birth rate acts as a rudimentary measure of a population’s fertility rate and serves as an essential element determining population growth.
Decrease in Death Rate
Similar to the birth rate, the death rate in India has also seen a substantial drop over the last four decades. The numbers fell from 14.9 in 1971 to 6.2 in 2018. In just the last decade, there’s been a decrease from 7.3 to 6.2 on a national level.
The decline in the death rate has been steeper in rural regions compared to urban ones. Chhattisgarh holds the highest death rate at 8, while Delhi, which is predominantly urban, records the lowest death rate at 3.3.
Death statistics hold significance as they offer vital data for demographic studies and public health administration, being fundamental components of tracking population change.
Significant Reduction in Infant Mortality Rate
The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has also seen a significant drop, from 129 in 1971 to 32 in the last decade. The highest IMR is recorded in Madhya Pradesh with a figure of 48, while Nagaland records the lowest at just 4.
IMR frequently serves as a key indicator of a region’s health and development, as it represents the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births.
About the Sample Registration System
The Sample Registration System (SRS) is a demographic survey that provides reliable annual estimates on the infant mortality rate, birth rate, death rate, and other relevant fertility and mortality indicators at both national and sub-national levels in India.
Originally piloted by the Registrar General of India across a few states in 1964-65, the SRS became fully operational by 1969-70. The survey includes continuous tracking of births and deaths in chosen sample units by resident part-time enumerators. Every six months, an independent survey is conducted by SRS supervisors for cross verification.
The Registrar General of India
Established in 1961 by the Government of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Registrar General of India organizes, conducts, and analyses the results of demographic surveys across the nation, including the Census of India and Linguistic Survey of India. Typically, the position of Registrar is held by a civil servant bearing the rank of Joint Secretary.